This blog is meant to be a place to come and enjoy quilts with color, easy piecing, story quilts, laughter with a joke or two, a little wisdom,stories with sentiment, an editorial or two,encouragement to pay it forward, the idea that NICE is a good thing, some crafts, family, friends work, some painting, cooking and decorating and alot of creativity and invention from Mary Lou who is an author, designer, teacher, quilter, and Grandma

Monday, December 28, 2015

I treated myself to a manicure and got snowmen on each hand. Made me smile each time I used me hands. Little things bring happiness

! It has snowed here a lot and my poor chickens lost the netting roof from the weight of the snow. It is hard t go out there and duck down to bring food and water to my Girl's. On the other hand I get five eggs everyday and sometimes six. They all put t me as soon as I turn on kitchen lights in the morning. I am working on new Christmas tree quilts and chickens are one of the themes!

The hens gave me lots of eggs for our strata. Yum!

My backyard.

Each year I save money from my book and pattern sales and I purchase pajamas for the homeless men who go to the Mission here. We call it "Jammies for Jimmy's." This year I bought 58 pair of pajamas at Penny's. I took the bags to the Mission and a very nice man got a shopping basket and we filled it and another man carried two of the bags we could not get in. He asked what I had in the bags and I told him "warm pajamas" to give comfort to men who were cold and needed a break. He got teary and told me he was one of those men and now he is clean and knows not to make poor decisions. I grabbed his hand and thanked him for helping others. It blessed me again this year. This is what Christmas is about. We are blessed to be a blessing.

Christmas Day before we ate the strata breakfast, we gathered around the snowman for a family photo. Then we ate breakfast and everyone went skiing. I stayed home and quilted. We all did what we loved! Great day filled with love.

I am working on a new Christmas tree quilt for another example for my classes. I knew it needed a chicken and I also did a rooster. Hee hee.

Christmas does bring joy! I love this word and it belongs in Chridtmas trees. In my opinion.

My neighbor got a new dog and so I thought she belonged on the quilt for fun.

If you want to take a fun class the Christmas tree class could be for you! You can make it styled to your own memories. This class needs to be two days.

I thought I would share this incredible Santa button and plastic art. Amazing isn't it?

If you want to make an easy cookie style snack I love these.

Place a small pretzel on a silicone lined baking pan. Add a rolo candy on top and put in a 350 degree oven four minutes or until they are soft but not melted totally. Take out of oven and squish a whole pecan onto the top. Cool and enjoy!

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Connie my neighbor gave me a darling garland of wool. Thought it would make a great scarf. Fun to do something inventive and whimsical!

I will be teaching "Little Darlings" in Paducah in April- make a small wallhanging for fun!

I will be teaching two fun bird wallhangings in Paducah too. Easy, fun and creative!

My Folk art fish made of wool and buttons will be taught at Paducah too. Lots of creative classes coming up in 2016.

I will be teaching Flower Power and StoryvQuilts in Florida next month. Lots of creative fun and color in the sunshine. Great fun!

Hope we get to

Meet in the New Year. Life is good and 2016 is going to be a great year!

Sunday, December 20, 2015

This Santa was made by an Artist that works in buttons, beads and Plastics. Amazing , right?

An angel in front of a shop- loved her

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So years ago I asked my Aunt for her ultra rich and fantastic fudge recipe thateveryone wanted and could not get. I finally wore her down and got it! She is 99 years old now and does not cook or bake so I am passing it along. Her name is Lucille. Do hove her credit if you make it please

Combine sugar, karo butter, chocolate, and 2 cups of cream. Boil 15 minutes, Next slowly add 2 more cups of cream and boil to soft ball stage- 1hour hour or more...worth the time and effort, honest. I stir with a wooden spoon off and on throughout this process. Add Vanilla and then beat until thick. Add nuts and put into a greased pan. Enjoy. People love this fudge!

Above a wooden Nativity carving in Germany

Here I am happy to be touring and having fun and enjoying the fullness of German Christmas experience. They know how up celebrate like no one else! The hat I am wearing is punched wool sold by a great German lady. I love it.

Wooden everything Christmas for sale

A hot water bottle wool

Punched with a cow. Don't you just love it????

Wonderful! A shop with thousands of ornaments.

We had the best hot chocolate in the world! No one makes hot chocolate like the Germans and we added a little Baileys once and that was good too.

Cookies were for sale everywhere! Especially gingerbread and liebkuchen.

Truffles anyone?

Girlfriends having fun in Germany! Tina, Molly, Wendy and me. Sandy Fisher took the photo. As friends we felt like this trip made our friendships grow even stronger.

My back yard this week. It has snowed much more and it is snowing so hard now you can barely see in front of you. Note my bottle tree I. The background.

Above is the class called "Little Darlings" that I am teaching in Paducah this spring. It is a fun class!!!

If you were a winner here earlier I am sending your prizes put this week- honest!!!!

I went to church today and was blessed with the idea of always passing on your many blessings with whoever God connects you with.

YOU dear friend bless me and I sincerely want to thank you.

I have had some tough breaks the last two years and have been sustainedby your love. Thank you and may you have a Merry Christmas and a year filled with God's many blessings.

Tuesday, December 15, 2015

Wanted to finally touch base again. First of all my patterns are back ordered un the 27th because I am having the covers professionally reprinted and I am down on the list but soon they will all

Be available with more in their way. 😊

The New Year will bring new things along with some new classes. I am going to be selling "Rejoice" Christmas pattern once again. These will be printed in late January. The color book (story style) has five more pages to be drawn and turned in for printing. Pages will be perforated and single sided. I will offer the three ladies sitting and quilting as one of the pages. Lots of fun.

Can you say chocolate? I just went to Germany and a river boat trip down the Maine river. Pronounced MINE. Wonderful Christmas markets all along the way. I saved money by buying fewer groceries and wants here at home. It was worth the sacrifice. Germany knows how to do Christmas better than anyone and they still have many Nativities in each city and town. Christmas hymns I sang as a child play everywhere and there are lovely reminders to thank God for His many blessings.

Color and whimsy are everywhere as well as beautiful foods both sweet and salty. Glugwine is everywhere as well as beer,eggnog, wines and my favorite hot chocolate.

Here are gour of us shopping and Molly taking the photo.

Santas and reindeer and elves and Angels are everywhere!

Good places to eat like "Hans and Franz".

All of the hundreds of booths are dressed to the nines.

Paper stars are so pretty and festive!

Gingerbread anyone?

The front doors of the Mayors house!

Glass making is a German thing and their decorations are wonderful!

My back hurt and Tina and Molly bought me this wonderful wool water bottle heater. Isn't it cute???

Smokers - I sense smoke comes out of their mouths. Aren't they cute?

Molly and I sip hot cocoa on our shopping and sight seeing tour.

Stay tuned as I am posting more about this trip and what I am thinking as 2015 comes to an end. New fun coming in 2016! I am blessed... And so are you. Count your many blessings. Sometimes we are too busy to realize how blessed we are. Slow down and enjoy simple things- they're the best.

Monday, November 2, 2015

I am scheduled to go to two guilds in Florida in Feb. If your guild or shop is interested we could do three venues. I have lots to teach in a state that appreciates bright colors! Not to mention a lot of fun with easy methods.

Buttons Treasures by Mary Lou Weidman

Monkey;s love snow too

Kathy Collin's Cow

Van Gogh's cow- Iowa

The newest cow we have seen...please make a cow for our cow parade show all over the US next year!

Ann's psycowdelic cow from Quilting Adventures in the Hill Country

Ann and I graduated the same year and I think we both loved the 60's!

MOOlon Rouge cow by Sandy Fisher

Is this fun or what? A French COW!

The nicest guy in the world

And his Granddaughter who takes after him

A COW with a REAL tutu and head phones....

Stephanie Davis who has a blog made this happy cow

My Kind of COW

Do you see what I see? I love it!

Great Interview with Mary Lou and Mel McFarland

http://www.martingale-pub.com/news/?p=493

Check out the MANY cows on this blog!

click here to see them! Isn't this cow cute?

Mary Lou's schedule for workshops and classes

http://marylouweidman.com/schedule.aspx
To book a workshop, contact MaryLou at Marylouquilts@aol.com or her new phone number 509-924-8822

God continues His creativity through you!

Isn't this mind blowing and wonderful?
Commit thy works unto the LORD, and thy thoughts shall be established. —Proverbs 16:3

For Retreats on Christmas I am teaching

Would love to teach for your guild-Christmas is a great workshop for originality and joy!

Mary Lou's Pacific Grove CA story quilt-hope you can see it in person-it is big and fun and colorfu

This quilt is now in the Del Thomas Collection

Cat Nabber

Isn't this cute?

Haha

Poor Clem

Yup

It's Summertime

Mark and My Son with Mark's Cadallac he bought when he found out he was Ill...

This 10 year old car (that we could afford) Mark's dream...I love these two men-they are both so good in so many ways...

This blog and the Girl who writes it are wonderful!

http://henhousestudio.blogspot.com/
So a couple of weeks ago I was in a little restaurant eating with my daughter in law when the cutest lady came up to me and asked if I was "Mary lou". And she is the author of a blog I go to often!
So I am putting her address here so you can check her out too.
Go back a ways and look at her darling glasses on her cute face! She is just the kid of quilter everyone wants to meet!

Reminds of of my Grandma

This is how I want to be....

My husband and my Granddaughter

My son's Father in law sent this to me and melted my heart-I LOVE these two kids!

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Cleaning Friends :0)

My daughter and her best friend from high school came to dust and clean and love-wonderful to see how these girls have grown up. I am blessed

Cow Quilt Says it All-Pam Toombs makes a great Cow quilt!

The back of the quilt says "On the other side"

Tazuti Zoo Dolls Make me Happy

Love the dolls Emily makes in Pacific Grove California- MORE great color!

HAVE A COW WHY DON'T YOU?

Cows from Made from a simple cow pattern from "Out of the Box with Easy Blocks" -cow takes about 2 to 2 1/2 hours to make and then the fun begins....making your cow theme awesome and fun!

Swedish Expression from Mom and Grandma

"My Mom's Favorite Expression"

PATTY HARANTS NECKLACE

Patty spent part of the day looking at Museums and eating Memphis BarBQue with me and I could not get over how delightful this necklace was- Thought you would love it too. Stay tuned for photos from my Memphis Adventure....

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Moo'ey Fiesta

Bottle tree Magic

You all know how I adore bottle trees and I found this one...I would LOVE to make this! Need to find a couple of bar tenders who sell alot of vodka....

Caiti Wallace Makes Out of the Box Cats!

Isn't this a HAPPY Quilt? Great job Caiti! Chicago quilters rock!

A Mary Lou Style Sewing Machine-Wish It was Mine!

Kim B's COW quilt!

Quilting Adventure's Kim is a talented quilter in her own right! VERY fun

Got to see the real painting in person in Chicago

I lived this painting but it is smaller than I thought

This is Happy!

Want a Happy Feel Good Story-Made my week!-Watch this!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EBYPlcSD490&feature=youtu.be

Thank you Sandi

Color and Plaids make for easy and beautiful quilts!

Great Quote to live by

" A good listener is a great flatterer"

Listen to this before bed-it is happy and true and a blessing to each of us

http://www.wimp.com/simplegratitude/

Blocks for my Granddaughter's bug quilt

All of these blocks will be sashed with checkboards or more dots...need a full size quilt-So fun!

Mary Lou Explains her Family Vacation Story Quilt

Great Fun with friends from the past -TEXAS with Janice and Debby

Quilting Adventures- I need a haircut...

Fun at the Museum

Mary Lou at Crystal Bridges Art Museum-trying to walk like the guy in front of me....

My Quilt called "View from a Five Yr. Old"

I used to watch my Mom in her garden when I was little

Throughout life, one does not miss any chance to hold onto the things that are really precious, if one is truly wise. Ed Greenwood

Great Photos of Mary Lou's Retreat and Farm Chicks

www.shhdesigns.blogspot.comSandi'sBlog gives you a good idea of the fun and creativity of my retreat in Idaho and also Mary Lou's other blog-Marylouweidman.blogspot.com

So True-share your power

Adorable and Creative!

Tina's Clock from Farm Chicks Show

Cow by Sandi Henscel From Canada!

I don't know why but it made me laugh out loud- maybe because it is so stupid, Haha

Snappy Gram

My style and a quilt story for sure!

Is this the cutest? Soon she will get dressed and begin quilting

"The success's of His people are always achieved by dependence on HIm. Micah 5:10-14

Mary Lou's Grandpa and Grandpa story quilt

Stacked Books!

Mary Lou's Crush

The Tulsa girls brought me a photo of my favorite actor! James Garner is a "real" man....

Mary Lou And Jane C- we love color!

Candy from Oregon

Full Moon Story Quilt-see at Sister's Show this year

As I quiet my inner critic, I invite creativity to come alive and I create my masterpiece,
Everything created by God is good.- 1Timothy 4:4

Is this gorgeous or what? This spring, new quilt coming in these colors! Stay tuned

WORRYING does not take away tomorrow's TROUBLES, it takes away today's PEACE

2012 is a perfect year to mix and match those fabrics in your stash using Hoochy blocks for FUN!

Gracie Allen's Classic Recipe for Roast Beef -thank you Carol

1 large Roast of beef
1 small Roast of beef
Take the two roasts and put them in the oven.
When the little one burns, the big one is done

Laurie Latta's Darling Quilt for her Granddaughter

Started in Class at Asilomar this quilt turned out to be a real Prizewinner!

I am itching to do more chicken quilts...color and fun

So, what is his point? Haha

"There is a fine line between what people call a "hobby" and Mental illness"

Dave Berry

I love this verse...it makes me feel very special and loved

“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you;” Jeremiah 1:5

SMILE- in the new book-don't you love this word? Two alphabet's and license to have FUN!

I want this sofa if you win the lotto please

Romans 8:28

And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

The Power of Flowers!

I Miss My Mom

"The best conversations with Mothers always take place in silence, when only the heart speaks"